GUMBO A full-length musical For New Orleans "I wonder if Katrina is becoming like one of those fairytales for Americans. It's something we can't get our imaginations around. It's too large for that, and so instead it seems to be fragmenting into a thousand parables, some of them right, some of them very wrong, and most of them defying categorization all together." ―Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker * SETTING - Above, around and inside the bowl of a Crescent City―the City is a mythic representation of the great city of New Orleans. - The Gumbo Pot, an underwater speakeasy of today Note: There should be virtually no set—the people/ The City should embody the ever- shifting worlds. TIME In and around a timeless August 29 to late September 2005 NOTES ON ACCENT/DIALOGUE "Mrs. Reilly called it that accent that occurs south of New Jersey only in New Orleans, that Hoboken near the Gulf of Mexico." ―John Kennedy Toole, A Confederacy of Dunces - Not your “traditional” Southern accent. No Streetcar, please. It’s about attitude more than accent: an easiness on the words that reflects the City’s approach toward life. - Slashes (/) and dashes (--) indicate when a line is cut off and the next person begins speaking. CAST BREAKDOWN (9M, 5W) DR. HOWARD HART: mid thirties, Caucasian, textbook Midwesterner, stoic, works E.R.; loves two things: his work and his wife, Martha (unexpected, Billy Bigelow voice, not necessarily look; Gorgeous, lush Baritone with an Earthy soul to it. Bb2-A4) MARTHA LEDOUX (Hart): mid-thirties, African-American of Creole descent; full of life & love with the voice of an angel. She’ll stop you in your tracks. Also, an elementary school teacher married to Howard. (Soprano with a facile range. Can sing classical, jazz, and pop seamlessly) BOSS: timeless (may ideally appear fifties), a person of color,; ultimate charmer, devilish ring leader of the Gumbo Pot, center of any room. (Big, Beefy Baritone. Should shake the earth with his voice with a lot of Cab Calloway; able to sing big jazz and funk easily – Gb2-B4 opt. low Eb2 - High C5) BEARD (M): fifties, forties, thirties, African-American, slight, scraggly, looks like he’s really lived, ring leader of the trio (Big Blues man. Able to sing tight harmony a la Blind Boys of Alabama; Dark, lowest baritone; Gb2-Gb4. opt. low Eb2) SCARF (M): fifties, forties, thirties, African-American, brawny Teddy bear, the diplomat of the trio (Baritone - Able to sing tight harmony a la Blind Boys of Alabama) PONYTAIL (M): twenties to thirties, Caucasian, Latino, or Asian-American, overeager, the “kid brother” of the trio (Tenor - Able to sing tight harmony a la Blind Boys of Alabama; Sings Funk/Jazz Bb2-D5)) GAIL FORCE/MAN (M): timeless, Latino/a, fierce and fit drag queen, in love with Boss (Tenor A2- A4) OLIVER FLOOD/WOMAN (F): timeless, any race, dapper vaudeville drag king, short and stocky with a bawdy sense of humor (Alto F3-D5), ENSEMBLE ROLES (Multi-Ethnic Necessary) *Each ensemble member represents a neighborhood of the greater New Orleans area. MS. FELICE WARD [Seventh Ward]: forties, fifties, African-American, a mother hen (Coloratura with a lot of soul – Gb3-C6; soprano at church) HOLLY [Hollygrove]: twenties to thirties, African-American or biracial, buoyant and youthful (Sassy Mezzo-Soprano – Big voice) ESTHER [The East] / MERYL [Marigny]: thirties, forties, Vietnamese-American (Rich, Facile Gospel and Blues Singer, Rangey, Gb3-Bb5) SLY [Slidell] / TREY [Treme]: twenties to thirties, should be a person of color; troublemaker, too handsome for his own good (Tenor á la Kermit Ruffins C3-C5) CHARLIE [Uptown] / OFFICER WESTIN DULAC [Lakeview]: thirties, Caucasian (Baritone C3-G4 opt. low Eb2) NINE [Lower 9] (Male): twenties, thirties, forties, nicknamed for his luck (Bass Eb2-E4) ACT ONE 1. THE WEDDING SONG (City, Howard, Martha) [AUDIO TRACK #1] 1a. FEAR NOT, DARLING – WEDDING 2. ENTER BOSS (Boss & Martha) 3. THE HONEYMOON (Howard & Martha) 3a. WITH YOU - HONEYMOON 4. CATEGORY THREE (The City) [AUDIO TRACK #2] 5. THE STORM (Musical Interlude) 5a. SIREN SONG (Martha & Boss) 6. HERE (Howard & The City) [AUDIO TRACK #3] 7. CROCK ‘A SHIT (Beard, Scarf & Ponytail) [AUDIO TRACK #4] 8. JAZZ FUNERAL (Beard, Ponytail, Scarf, & The City) 9. THE PLUNGE (Howard) [AUDIO TRACK #5] 10. DRIP, DROP, TUMBLE, AND ROLL (Oliver Flood, Gail Force, & The Club) 11. THE GUMBO POT (Boss, Oliver Flood, Gail Force, The Club) 12. SLIDE AWAY (Martha) [AUDIO TRACK #6] 13. ANARCHY: THE LOOTING SONG (Beard, Scarf, Ponytail, The City) 14. TWO-BY-TWO (Oliver Flood) 15. JEALOUSY (Gail & Boss) [AUDIO TRACK #7] 15a. HONEYMOON REPRISE (Martha & Howard) 16. THE GOSPEL OF BOSS [AUDIO TRACK #8] (Boss, Martha, Howard, Gail, Oliver, & The Club) ACT TWO 17. ROLL THE PARADE (Boss, Oliver, Martha, and The Club) [AUDIO TRACK #9] 18. OVER (Howard & The City) 19. SOUND GOOD (Gail Force & Howard) [AUDIO TRACK #10] 20. WHAT IT MEANS (Boss & Martha) 21. GONE TOO FAR (Boss) [AUDIO TRACK #11] 22. GOING SOLO (Oliver Flood) [AUDIO TRACK #12] 23. WITH YOU (Howard & Martha) [AUDIO TRACK #13] 24. SHOWDOWN (Boss, Howard, Martha, The Club/City) 25. CATEGORY THREE REPRISE (Howard & The City) 26. AIN’T NOWHERE ELSE (Howard & The City) [AUDIO TRACK #14] SCENE ONE: THE WEDDING The backyard of Martha and Howard’s house on a humid, later summer Saturday night in the City. It’s the reception of Martha and Howard’s wedding. The City is gathered and spirits are high. Martha and Howard are so in love. Boss emerges in a pristine three-piece suit, dead flower in his pocket, cigar stub in hand. He circulates the crowd, like he belongs there. Ms. Felice dings a glass and speaks to the bride and groom. The crowd is very vocal. MS. FELICE Now, we’ve got these two lovebirds here on they weddin’ night. Martha, Howard, get on up here! HOWARD! For Pete sakes, loosen up! Come here! Come here. (They do) That’s right. Wasn’t so hard now, was it? They look so good, don’t they? VARIOUS Mmhmm / Sure do. / Yes m’am. MS. FELICE Seems like just yesterday I spotted ‘em on this porch neckin’ like a couple ‘a kids! Wait now—that was yesterday! Laughs and cheers from the crowd. MS. FELICE CONT’D A big ol congrats, Dr. and Mrs. Hart! Ain’t no storm stoppin’ this love! No sir! And it sounds like it’s gonna be one helluva storm, so this must be one helllllluva loooove— SLY The good news is now we got ourselves a wedding party and a hurricane party! Let’s show Howard how it’s done down here in the best city on Earth. (To the Band) HIT IT! #1: THE WEDDING SONG [AUDIO TRACK #1] MS. FELICE STANDIN' RIGHT BESIDE ME DOWN AT THE PARADE, THE BEST LOOKIN' MAN THAT I'D SEEN IN A DECADE! SNAGGED A BOATLOAD OF BEADS, AND HE HANDED ME SOME, THEN HE LOOKED STRAIGHT AT ME— I KNEW MY PRINCE HAD COME. THE CITY A ONE-TWO-THREE-FOUR, HOLD THE ONE YA' FELL FOR! FIVE-SIX-SEVEN-EIGHT, HOLD 'EM 'TIL IT'S GOOD 'N LATE! MS. FELICE WALKIN' RIGHT BESIDE ME, 'LONG BAYOU ST. JOHN, HE LEANED INTO ME, AND HE KISSED ME GOOD N' LONG! HE HELD ME SO TIGHT, MY HEAD START TO WHIRL. I CAN'T TELL YOU THE REST— I'M A GOOD BAPTIST GIRL! THE CITY A ONE-TWO-THREE-FOUR, NEVER FELT LIKE THIS BEFORE! FIVE-SIX-SEVEN-EIGHT, YOU DON'T REALLY WANNA WAIT! SLY LYIN' RIGHT BESIDE ME, TIL LATE IN THE NIGHT. WE ROCK AND WE ROLL— OUTSIDE IT'S ALMOST LIGHT! SHE FEELS SO GOOD, I FEEL SO ALIVE! MMM...I THINK TO MYSELF, MY FRIEND, YOU HAVE ARRIVED! THE CITY POP THE CHAMPAGNE, POUR THE WINE, 'HAVE OURSELVES ONE HELLUVA TIME! SAID OUR VOWS, THE KNOT IS TIED, LET'S GET LOUD, MARTHA IT'S OUR WEDDING NIGHT! Marha and Howard kiss fiercely. Wild cheers. The band kicks it up a notch. THE CITY A ONE-TWO-THREE-FOUR, FROM THE BED TO THE FLOOR! FIVE-SIX-SEVEN-EIGHT, MAKIN' LOVE GOOD 'N LATE! SLY SITTIN' RIGHT BESIDE ME, ON LAKE PONCHARTRAIN. THE WAVES ROLLIN' IN, MY HEART DOES THE SAME! WHOA! DOWN ON ONE KNEE, AND YOU KNOW THE REST. I SAY, MARRY ME GIRL, YOU'RE THE ONE I LOVE THE BEST! THE CITY A ONE-TWO-THREE-FOUR, GOT A WHOLE LIFE IN STORE! FIVE-SIX-SEVEN-EIGHT, TELL ME, DO YA THINK IT'S FATE? SLY DANCIN' RIGHT BESIDE ME, MS. FELICE ON OUR WEDDING DAY! SLY I SPIN HER AROUND, MS. FELICE AND MY LIFE IS MADE! SLY & MS. FELICE WE'LL HAVE US FOUR KIDS, TWO GIRLS AND TWO BOYS! SLY OH, IF YOU LOVE YOUR BOO, SLY & MS. FELICE GO ‘HEAD, MAKE SOME NOISE! THE CITY A ONE-TWO-THREE-FOUR, CAN YOU FEEL YOUR HEART SOAR? FIVE-SIX-SEVEN-EIGHT, FIN'LLY FOUND YOUR SOUL MATE! Uproarious cheering. CHARLIE Y’all sure know how to throw a party. MS. FELICE Y’all sure know how to hire a band. MARTHA That’s right. Only the best! SLY Yes, ma’am. MS. FELICE Martha, you gonna sing us a little somethin? VARIOUS/ALL Yeah! ESTHER Ooh, yes! BOSS Come on, Martha! NINE Sing us somethin’! MARTHA Only if Howard sings with me! HOWARD No, Martha… MARTHA Y’all oughta hear this man sing! ESTHER Really? HOWARD (Shakes his head) I’d rather not. HOLLY (To Howard) Martha keeps talkin’ up this mystery voice of yours, but ain’t one of us heard it… HOWARD And you won’t be hearing it today, either.